Monday 13 June 2016

Making our own luck, being prepared and Radio Derby



People often tell me that I am lucky to live where I do. I don't feel that luck has anything to do with it! We are here through hard work, being very very careful and going without while we worked and saved our way from a rented terraced house when we were married 50 years ago to our own house in two beautiful, Derbyshire acres where we hope to end our days. David and I have never inherited any money or property, nor had any lucky win. Though I WAS lucky to have fabulous parents who taught me how to sew, cook, garden, make do and mend, value education and be caring of others.
 I lived all my life up to my marriage in the same council house that my parents were happy to get when they married in 1939. Over the years it started to dawn on me that my dad was disabled. I honestly didn't realise it for years! I thought that everyone gardened on their knees (which is how I do most gardening myself today) He used his walking stick (or shooting stick) in such a debonair way that he made it look like a fashion accessory, which went well with the cravats he often wore - he was quite a snazzy dresser! Dad always worked, even though he could quite easily have been considered too disabled to work. and was preparing for retirement when he died, aged 64 and a half. He had bought a greenhouse, a new record player and new artist materials (he was a passable water colourist) which he never got to use. Mum on the other hand lived until she was 88 and while still pretty fit, was beginning to show signs of dementia. She died getting ready to go to the pub with us (she was considered to be our skittles mascot!) which is a pretty good way to go, only to be bettered, I suppose, by dying on the way back from the pub !
I realise that I have rather digressed from what was suppose to be a preamble to how we can be prepared for difficult times, be they famine, flood, power cuts or whatever. There are many ways that people can prepare, without living on a smallholding like us, indeed most people live in towns and cities with little or no garden and limited storage space.
 I promise that my next  post will be about preparedness, but must digress again as I have just received a telephone call that prompts me to ask my fellow bloggers and followers for their views. Radio Derby have called me again, this time to ask that I go into the studio to talk about older(!) woman who blog. They tell me that there has been an article in the Sunday Times about the upsurge in older women who are blogging and being very successful in so doing and are interested in talking to a local older blogger about why she blogs etc. I have agreed with the proviso that they don't try to make me out to be some batty old woman ( I can do that for myself thank you) I told her that I was neither popular, nor successful, whatever that may mean, but that I did fit the bill as an older blogger and  have agreed to go along next monday at midday for what will be my fifth stunt for our local radio station.
I have since read the article and it is about older women Vloggers who are Vlogging about beauty tips for the older woman!! I never wear make up and jeans and teashirts are my clothes of choice, so I now identify even less with the women in the article, but I DO feel that there are many older women who are taking up blogging and who have many followers. So dear bloggy friends, what do you think is the reason for this increase? Is there something you would like me to tell the listeners?
On countdown for our BIG party this weekend and praying that the rain will let up a little for us.
All for now, looking forward to your views on older bloggers.
Gillx
P.S I have proof read this but may still have missed words distorted by a sticky"m" on the keypad!
P.P.S  re. being an older woman I was 70 last week, so probably qualify.


16 comments:

  1. I must be old; I had to look up 'Vloggers'.

    My father used to stress that a man would always survive if he had 10 acres. I think he over-estimated, and two is more than enough. Some land and good the old-fashioned values of hard work and reasonable frugality have a lot going for them.

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    1. I agree, two acres is more than enough to feed a family, with a little to spare.
      I had to check on Vloggers too.

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  2. Happy Birthday for last week Gill.

    Like you, I'm an older blogger. But, again like you, not a Vlogger! Never wear make-up - what for - to clog up my pores lol

    Why do I blog? Because my kids are grown and have left the nest, because I've always loved writing, and now I have more time to do so, and because blogging allows me to be helpful and share what I have learnt. As "Barney" always said: "Sharing is caring" and, boy, does this planet need someone to care about it - we're making a right mess of things on our own ;). Changing just one person's attitude to Mother Earth will more than suffice me, for the rebound effect will spread and gain momentum.

    Good luck with your interview - wish I could hear it...

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    1. Thanks Dani.
      Good explanation. Will remember it on Monday.
      Gill

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  3. Most of the older ladies I know are moving away from commercialism and being worried about how people view them, to a newer, freer way of living. By free, I don't mean penniless - rather that we shun some of the more pointless and stressful trappings of modern living and embrace a simpler, more aware approach to our second half centuries. Not sure who is watching these beauty tip vloggers?!!

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  4. Hi: I think more older women are blogging and vlogging because there are so many of us baby boomers who may be retired but are still capable of doing so much; blogging gives us an opportunity to share our life experiences and knowledge with others who can benefit from them. I love vloggers both beauty and cooking. While my days are usually spent in jeans, tee shirt and sneakers when I do go out I still want to look as good as I can. Good luck with the interview.

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    1. We still have much to share don't we?
      I rarely look at Vloggers, but do find UTube a helpful for "How to" videos.

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  5. I am over eighty and I post my views on something most days. I absolutely love blogging. I find that it 'makes' me think of something to write about, it keeps me in touch with folk all around the world, and in addition I have met quite a few of the bloggers, including a couple from the US (one when we were in Nre York and another when she and her husband came here on holiday and stayed with us for the night.)

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    1. Hi Weave.
      Thanks for your input.
      I have yet to meet a fellow blogger.

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  6. I'm very late reading, so hope things are going well/gone well with everything you have to do.And belated Happy Birthday

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    1. If the rain would stop life would be easier, but at least I'm not having to water the veggies.
      Thanks for the birthday wish.
      x

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  7. It's because of the Crap tv, too much football/sport, making us miss our gardening programmes lol!

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  8. I started blogging to communicate with like minded people and hear what real people are doing in their lives and how they are using their skills (sewing, cooking, gardening). If you watch too much daytime TV you start to think there are no sane people left! Not sure I have technical skills for Vlogging. I am older (64 this year) and retired but not keen on makeup etc but then I never really was beyond looking right for public job. I like to look nice when I leave the house and make a lot of my own clothes.

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